Wearing is Believing

Red Carpet Rundown: The ALMA Awards

The big story at The ALMA Awards wasn’t host Eva Longoria’s 15 costume changes (all by Latin designers) -- it was Jessica Alba’s triumphant return to form on the red carpet.  Luminous in a gorgeous baby pink satin Narciso Rodriguez gown, Alba revealed that she’s lost nearly 25 pounds since giving birth two months ago.  Seems like  Alba’s been sporting more Nike, Puma, and New Balance than designer duds lately -- but it’s paying off!  Her gown was the epitome of Rodriguez style: feminine and luxurious, yet sleek and modern.  Several silver bangles on one wrist and luminous pink crystal oval drop earrings completed the look.

Ruffles gone wrong on the red carpet, part 2:  Paula Abdul looked more ready for a Halloween party than the paparazzi in a black and hot pink flamenco(I think?)-inspired dress.  Big hair and a heavy black choker brought new meaning to ‘over the top’.  I don’t know who designed the gown, but I would bet money it’s a Paula original.

Mirroring the black backlash in fashion right now, the ALMA red carpet was splashed with vibrant color.  Ashley Tisdale wore bright canary yellow, while Ugly Betty star Ana Ortiz wore one of the night’s biggest colors: purple.

During the awards ceremony, Alba presented her gown’s designer with this year’s award for Special Achievement in Fashion.  Rodriguez’s structured looks are a favorite of numerous celebs, including Sarah Jessica Parker, Jennifer Connelly, and Charlize Theron.  The Cuban-American designer always creates with women's preferences in mind, conscious of what they’ll want to wear well into the future.

"I'm much more interested in things that stay in the closet for a long time than the ones that arrive this year and are disposed of in the next," Rodriguez said at the awards ceremony. "Those are the kind of pieces I like to create. I am interested in things that last." 

14 Days ‘til More Gossip

This fashionista is anxiously counting the days until the premiere of the new season of Gossip Girl, the CW’s teen drama.  It’s a gorgeous guilty pleasure -- the backstabbing, the catfights, and of course, the clothes.  No TV show has made school uniforms look so chic -- not to mention the delectable duds Blair, Serena and their Upper East Side pals wear after school. 

This season promises to deliver more delicious dra-ma and style, judging from the pictures that have been snapped of the show’s leading ladies while filming in NYC.  The Gossip Girls have been photographed in lots of short dresses, many of them in bold floral and geometric patterns.  Taylor Momsen (who plays Jenny Humphrey) recently was a hot child in the city in an ultrashort empire-waisted babydoll dress, accessorized with strands of bright beads and a chunky silver bracelet.  Blake Lively (who plays Serena van der Woodsen) was snapped walking to the set in a Herve Leger bandage dress (at left) that looks like a direct violation of the dress code at Constance Billard School.

As the characters evolve, so do their looks.  GG costume designer Eric Daman (formerly of Sex and the City) recently told InStyle that this season, Serena’s look will be less obviously bohemian and more Coco Chanel in the Twenties and Thirties, with a little bit of a rock n’ roll edge.  S’s best pal, Blair Waldorf (Leighton Meester)’s style will be inspired by the past,too, judging by the Fifties-style dresses and bathingsuits she’s wearing in the show’s promos.  Daman says that he plans to experiment with different silhouettes to dress Blair, with more formfitting, Art Deco-inspired looks.  Meester was recently spotted on the city streets in a dress just like Daman described (at right).

It might be a bit of an understatement to say I can’t wait to see what else the Gossip Girls are wearing this season.  XOXO!

Leather and ...?

What’s seriously hot for the fall?  Lace, and lots of it.  Previously shunned by designers as tacky, lace is being incorporated into a wide range of pieces -- blouses, skirts, cuffs, handbags -- even on boots!  Jean Paul Gaultier, Derek Lam, and Prada all showed the trend in their fall collections in teal, orange and chocolate brown. Maggie Gyllenhaal got a jump on the trend by wearing an orange lace Gaultier dress to a recent event.

If you feel like splurging on something lacy and feminine, try a lace overlay skirt from Prada or Derek Lam.  Macy’s and designer Robert Rodriguez (available at Bergdorf’s) offer similar looks for far less than higher-end designers.  Skirts that are knee length look classic and classy -- and can translate from the office to evening with a swap of accessories and shoes.  Lace blouses, paired with straight basic trousers or a pencil skirt, are a great way to wear lace without going overboard.

Not ready to embrace lace full-force?  Try a purse or a pair of pumps.  Skip tights and hose with lace patterns -- they’re best left to the very young.

WWD Defining Moments in Fashion

To celebrate the launch of their revamped wwd.com site, Women’s Wear Daily is announcing a list of 75 Defining Moments in Fashion.  The WWD list includes Jackie O’s timeless style, Brangelina’s photo homage to Sixties suburban unrest in W Magazine, and J. Lo’s plunging green Versace Grammy gown.

In honor of the WWD list, I’ve selected a few of my favorite moments in celebrity fashion from the past decade or so.

Renee Zellweger, 2001 Oscars

Zellweger glowed golden in this vintage 50’s era Jean Desses gown.  Strapless, fitted yet flowy, the daffodil-colored confection evoked old Hollywood glamour at a time when glamour had been somewhat brushed aside. Coupled with red lips, soft wavy hair and a chunky pearl bracelet, the dress was a red carpet smash.

Cameron Diaz, 2008 Oscars

Diaz was pretty in pale pink Dior at the 2008 Oscars.  Fashionistas bagged on the color, but the pleated, well-structured strapless gown emphasized the femininity of Diaz’s fantastic physique.

Reese Witherspoon, 2007 Oscars

Nina Ricci designer Olivier Theyskens has called Witherspoon one of his muses -- and it’s easy to see his passion for dressing her, particularly with this ’07 Oscar gown.  The sweeping drama of Witherspoon’s midnight-hued, multi-tiered dress is complemented by ethereal makeup and ice blonde hair, embodying Theyskens’ childhood fascination with princesses and fairy tales.

Nicole Kidman, 2000 Oscars

On Oscar night 2000, I felt that even if Tom Cruise didn’t win for Best Supporting Actor, he was still taking home quite the golden trophy.  Kidman was dazzling in metallic Dior, looking every bit the gilded deity in a gown that seemed as if it had been hammered by the gods just for her.  In fact, it had been crafted by John Galliano for Dior, one of the designers who helped establish Kidman as a style icon.